Wednesday, October 19 2005 16:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Rushing to the defence of Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) supremo and his father, H D Deve Gowda, party state unit Working President H D Kumaraswamy today (Oct 19, 2005) said the Congress-JDS coalition Government was 'free' to order any inquiry including by CBI, into alleged financial irregularities in the Upper Krishna Project during 1994-1996 when Gowda was the Chief Minister.

Questioning the soft stand claimed to have been taken by Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna when he was the state Chief Minister in not referring the alleged scam to CBI probe as recommended by a legislature committee, Kumaraswamy asked, "Did my father plead for not instituting a probe?

Speaking to reporters, he flayed the renewed concern being expressed by some leaders on the report of the Estimate Committee on irregularities in the UKP now and claimed that the committee report has not indicted Deve Gowda, who has come under sharp attack from Krishna on this and corruption issue.

On the remarks of Krishna that some people were scared of his return to active politics, Kumaraswamy said, "we are not scared. We welcome his immediate return to state politics by seeking the Congress high command permission".

Hitting back at Gowda after he raked up a World Bank report on the level of corruption when he (Krishna) was the Chief Minister, Krishna had unleashed a barrage of criticism against Deve Gowda, charging that corruption was rampant during Janata Dal rule and regretted his decision not to refer the UKP scam to CBI probe.

Kumaraswamy challenged Opposition BJP leader in the Assembly B S Yediyurappa to prove his charge that Gowda granted Rs 1500 crore worth of land to a resort at a throw away price.

He said while entering into power sharing agreement with the Congress in 2004, JDS had not held out any commitment to its partner not to discuss the lapses committed during the Krishna Government.

The JDS faction led by Gowda was not bothered about the moves by rival group headed by C M Ibrahim which has petitioned the state election commission to allot the party symbol to it for the coming zilla and taluk Panchayat elections, he said.